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E. S. HOUGH.

DRAFT SYSTEM FOR-MECHANICAL; OIL BURNERS. APPLICATION FILED .IAN. I2, 1921. 1,432,334. Patented Oct. 17, 1922 2 SHEETS-SHEET I N VEN TOR. Elfin 5rd .5: 17011 b A TTORNEY' E. S. HOUGH.

DRAFT SYSTEM FOR MECHANICAL OIL BURNERS" APPLICATION E ILED JAN- 12. I921.

. Patented Oct. 17, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 mmwi Q my \ 1 772767% fzzpard 61% W Patented Oct. 17, 1922.

OFFICE.

EDWARD s. HOUGH, or snn FRANCISCO. CALIFORNIA.

DRAFT sYs'rnMron nner-tanner. 01L BURNERS.

Application filed January 12, 1321. Serial No. 436,683.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ED ARD S. HoUcH, a

citizen of the United States, residing at.

San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Draft Systems for Mechanical Oil Burners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a system of draft for mechanical oil burners, especially for use in connection wit-h steamships. The object of the invention is to simplify and improve the construction and operation of such draft systems.

Among the various systems for burning crude oil as fuel under steam boilers for steamships, there have been the following suggestions A method by which the crude oil was propelled through the burners by compressed air. This system involved the use of air compressors and was found to be cumbersome and expensive and was discarded in favor of atomization by steam.

The system of atomization by steam was found to be expensive inasmuch as it was necessary to carry an unreasonable supply of reserve fresh water or to keep evaporators in contast use for the production of fresh water from sea water. This latter method of producing fresh water required the use of fuel.

The most practical method of atomizing fuel oil hitherto attempted was by direct means, the oil being forced in and through the burners directly from a steam pump, atomization being effected under the heavy pressure of the pump through the deflecting channels of the burner.

With the atomization by this latter method a difficulty was experienced in providing sufficient air for combustion, the limit being that due to the natural draft from the smokestack. It was found impossible to properly consume the oil at the burners on account of this limited draft.

Mechanical draft has been applied at times by what is known as the system of forced draft and the system of induced draft. Both of these systems supply heated air, the air being forced or drawn through special tubes for the purpose. These systems involve some considerable expense dur ing construction of the ship and a much greater expense if applied to existing boilers.

By the present invention I provide a simple and yet very effective means of supplying airxnecessary for combustion by the use of a blower placed in any convenient position about the fireroom of the steamer. The blower collects air from what would ordinarily be dead air spaces and delivers di- A marine boiler is shown at 10 positioned over a fire-box 11 which fire-box is divided into a plurality of longitudinal compartments. Each compartment is fitted with a mechanical fuel atomizer and burner 12. A fan or blower 13 is placed in any available space in the boiler room with its intake 14 positioned so as to draw air from a heated space in the boiler room. At the discharge end of the fan or blower I arrange a conduit 15 which communicates with the rear end of a tunnel 16 located beneath each of the compartments in the fire-box. The air entering these tunnels from the trunk or conduit 15 passes directly to the burner 12, as shown by arrows in Fig. 1. The blower may be driven by steam or electricity in any suitable way and owing to the manner in which the air is directed to the burners in each separate compartment each burner may be operated independently of its neighbor.

For all purposes the present system is equal to the prior mechanical draft burners while at the same time it effects a considerable saving in cost of equipment and installation. It insures a supply of air at all times and relieves the boiler spaces of the heat thus giving a satisfactory ventilation which is not to be had by the usual means. It also allows the burners and the boilers to be worked to their fuil capacity. a condition which is not practical with natural draft.

The present system has been applied successfully to various coastwise steamers and to one large passenger liner. In the case of the latter the conditions in the fire-room have been changed from an unbearable temperature to a comfortable one and the steaming of the boilers has been so improved that there is now no difficulty in maintaining a speed which before the application of this system could not be reached.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is In an oil burning power plant for ships, the combination with a boiler and fire box beneath same air passages beneath said fire box, a conduit connected with said air passages at one end leading to and having an air intake at a point distant from the fire box, and means for drawing air from the heated dead air spaces within the boiler and machinery enclosure into said conduit and discharging same to the burner and fire box through said passages whereby combustion is stimulated and the said spaces ventilated.

EDWARD S. HOUGH. 

